Air conditioning apparatus



Oct. 15, 1935. w. s. ELLIOTT AIN CONDITIONING APPRATUS Filed July 6, 1933 lNvENToR A l n?. I Q u.. ,Mfak

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RN WN Patented Oct. 15, 1935 UNITED STATES AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS William S. Elliott, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Elliott Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 6, 1933, Serial No. 679,213

8 Claims.

Figure l is a diagrammatic side elevation with parts broken away showing one form of apparatus for carrying out my invention; and

Figure 2 is a vertical section on the line II-lI of Figure Y1.

My invention relates to a system for conditioning air which will operate under either summer or winter temperatures and enable the air to be kept at any desirable temperature and also 1o preferably at any desirable degree of humidity.

In the drawing, 2 represents a. water-treating chamber shown in the form of av cylindrical shell containing a distributing pan 3 in its upper portion, and below it two sets of spray pans 4 and 5,

mounted on suitable supports within the shell.

The bottom of the chamber 2 forms a watercontaining receptacle having a suitable float 6, operating through counterweighted lever 1 upon a connection 8 to control a Valve indicated at 9, which regulates the incoming make-up water. The make-up water is supplied to the distributing pan 3 through pipe I8 having a hand valve Il, and a branch I2 leads from pipe III to circulating pipe I3, which also' has a hand valve I4. The pipe I3 leads to a surface condenser I5, having a vent and valve I5, Circulating water' passes through the condenser and tubes, thence ows through pipe I6 and thence into the distributing pan 3 when the `valve I4 is open and the valve II is closed. At the side of the chamber 2 adjacent the lower tray bank is a steam inlet pipe I1, having a hand valve I8. Between the valve I8 and the chamber 2, the pipe I1 is provided with a valve I9, controlled by a connection 20 with a. thermostatic device 2|, located at any convenient point in the region where it is desired to maintainl a constant temperature.

From the upper part of the shell 2 leads a pipe 22 having a hand valve 23 and an automatic valve 24, having a connection 25 to thermostatic device 26, also inthe region where it is desired to control the air temperature. The pipe 22 leads to thermo-compressor 21, shown as a steam ejector, having steamxinlet pipe 28. This thermocompressor leads to condenser 29, which may be of any desirable type having water inlet and outlet 3l.

From the bottom water-containing portion of chamber 2, pipe 32 leads to a pump 33, by which the water may be pumped through pipe 34 or through pipe 35, leading fromv its outlet. Both these pipes contain hand valves 36 and 31, so that the pump may supply the water to the airconditioning chamber through either or both of said connections. The air-conditioning chamber, which may be of any desirable type, is shown as a horizontally extending cylindrical shell 38, having a horizontally extending tube bank 40, which tubes connect to end chambers 43 and 44.. In the upper part of this shell is a spray section 5' 39, consisting, as shown, of a plurality of larger tubes 4I with perforations in their bottom portions, these tubes connecting the left hand chamber 42 with a right hand chamber 42a. At the opposite sides of the shell 38 are shown a large 10 air inlet 45 and an air outlet 46. At the bottom of the chamber 38 is a well 41, to collect the water spraying down over the tubes, this well having a pipe 48, leading upwardly and connecting with the pipe I3. A'I'he pipe 48 has a hand valve 49 15 and a. branch 50 leading into chamber 44 and having a hand valve 5I. Pipe 48 is provided with a water leg drain p ipe 52 having a hand valve 53.

Assuming that the system is started in summer time, valve I8 is closed and valve 23 and the valve 20` pipe 28 are open. The proper amount of water is supplied through pipe l0 and valve Il, valves I4 and I5a being closed, and thence to the distributing pan 3 and the tray stacks. During this period, the thermo-compressor 21 is operating to 25 withdraw air and vapors released from the entering water which collects in the lower part of shell 2. When the proper amount of water is 'collected in chamber 2, the pump 33 is started and the valve 31 being closed, the pump forces the 30. water through pipe 34 and open valve 36 to chamber 42. The water passes down through the spray pipes 4I over the tubes and collects in well 41. At the same time, air to be cooled is rapidly passed over the tubes through connections 45 and 46. 36 During this time, valves 5I and 53 are closed and valve 49 is open. The water collecting in the Well will be drawn by the vacuum in the main shell 2 through open valve.49 to pipe I3. During this time, the pipe I1 is closed by hand valve I8. As 40 the temperature in the region of thermostat 26 falls, this thermostat will tend to close the valve 24, and thus reduce the amount of vapor withdrawn by the thermo-compressor and condensed in the condenser 29, thus decreasing the cooling 45 eect on the water; while 'on the other hand, if the temperature rises, the opposite will be the case.

During cold weather, the valve I4 is open, the

valve II is closed, the steam valve I8 is open, 50 y valve 36 is closed, valves 31, 5I and I5 are open, and valves 49 and 53 are closed. During such a period, the circulating water ows through pipe I3, thence passing through the condenser I5 direct to the distributing pan 3.v As the water 55 passes down over the tray stacks, it is lieated by the entering steam and drops as before into the bottom of the shell 2. As the hand valve 23 to the thermo-compressor is closed during such periods, the withdrawal of vapor and air is ,now through the condenser I5, and the steam is shut oi from the connection 28.` In this case, the pump 33 forces the heated water through pipe 35 and valve 31 and into chamber 43, whence it passes through the tubes 40 into chamber 44 and is withdrawn through valve 5I to enter pipe I3. 'I'he air rapidly passing over these tubesthrough connections and 46 will therefore be heated. The partially cooled water thence flows back through pipe I3 and pipe I6 and is again heated in the closed circuit.

During such periods of operation, if the temperature tends to rise in the region where a, certain air temperature is to be maintained, the thermostatic device 2l will act upon the valve I9 in the steam supply to allow this valve to partly close and thereby decrease the amount of heat supplied to the water. If the temperature tends to drop in such region, the opposite will take place.

lIt, during 'such period of operation in cold weather, the humidity of the air is below a desirable range, the .valve 36 may be cracked open slightly and the valve 53 opened. This will cause some heated water to pass down in contact with the air and humidify it, and be discharged through pipe connection 52.

The advantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, since with one system I am able to condition air at all seasons, whether colder orwarmer, simply by manipulating certain control valves. Also, by the same apparatus, I am enabled to humidify the air in `colder seasons as required. Y

Many` changes may be made in the form of the apparatus and various parts thereof, without departing from my invention.

-I claim:

' 1. In'an air conditioning apparatus, a liquid supply chamber, means for heating the liquid therein when desired, means for cooling the liquidA therein when desired, an air conditioning chamdesired, an air conditioning chamber, connections arranged to lead the heated or cooled water from the supply chamber to the air conditioning chamber, means for feeding the heated or cooledwater indifferent paths through said air conditioning chamber, and connections for admixing a portion of the liquid with the air in the air conditioning chamber when desired.

3.. Air conditioning apparatus comprising a 4. The apparatus defined by claim 3 including 20 means for maintaining a constant liquid level in said chamber.

5. Air-conditioning, apparatus comprising a liquid-treating chamber, means for heating liquid 25 therein, means for evacuating the chamber to cool the liquid therein, an air-treating apparatus separate from said chamber having an air inlet and an air outlet, and means for circulting liquid from said liquid-treating chamber to the air- 30 heat exchange relation therewith, without actual 35 contact, either to humidity or to dehumidify the air traversing said apparatus, and also to vary the temperature of the air in accordance with the temperature of the liquid supplied thereto.

6. The apparatus dened byclaim 5 wherein 40 said means for evacuating the chamber comprises thermo-compressor means connected to said chamber and a condenser connected to said thermo-compressor means.

'1. 'nie apparatus dennen by'claim 5 including 45 thermally responsive means for controlling the operation of said liquid-heating and liquid-cool ing means.

8. The apparatus dened by claim 5 whereiny the means for heating the liquid in said treating chamber comprises means for supplying steam thereto. i

WILLIAMS. ELLIOTT. 

